Manny Laureano

Okay, here's the question:

If you could be the trumpeter version of a well-known athlete, past or present, who would it be and why?

This was tough for me to figure out because two of the athletes I admire most died young, Lou Gehrig and Bruce Lee. I love what Pete Rose did as a player but that bloody scandal kind of wrecked everything. So, maybe for me it's Joe DiMaggio. He made everything look easy but I hear he was a bit of jerk... nah, scratch that.

Maybe Nolan Ryan... wild as a kid but grew up and took his art seriously. Yeah, I like that. And he started in NYC with the Mets! Yeah, the Ryan Express.

Okay, your turn.

ML

lonelyangel

Easy...Eric Cantona. "Who?" I hear you saying from across the pond.

The enigmatic, talismanic and charismatic French football legend who inspired his Manchester United team mates to regaining the English football championship after a gap of 27 years, in his first season with the club.

He would be the ideal lead trumpet player - a huge amount of self belief, bordering on arrogance and yet playing with an artistry and passion bordering on the poetic. He brought out the best in all those around him and yet, when the chips were down he could take hold of a game by the scruff of its neck and win it single-handed.

In that season I think United won about seven games 1-0 thanks to goals from Eric (or Dieu as he was known to the fans).

Coincidentaly, as well as his interest in poetry and acting, Eric was also a keen trumpet player - he actually took some lessons with the principle trumpet player from the Halle Orchestra.

On a more serious note - I often refer to coaching techniques and concepts from sports psychology and athletics training in my teaching and practice. Whilst it can be argued that playing the trumpet is a mind game, the physical aspects of playing cannot be ignored. Perhaps I'll post some of these ideas in another forum.

By the way, before you guys in the UK get on my case about Cockney Reds, I am actually from Manchester!

All the best, Noel.

PS I was highly amused to find that TM has censored my post - the word I typed, C**kney is not a 'rude' word but an everday term for people from London - as in c**kney rhyming slang? As its been said before, the US and the UK, two nations divided by a common language. :)

davidquinlan

Daley Thompson! Decathlete! Say no more!

http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/h...PAR_I_ID=43446



I was going to say Roy Keane, fellow Irishman, the ENGINE of Man U for the last 10 seasons or so (except when out injured, or suspended!!), but Noel has stolen the show with 'Le God' himself.. Mssr Cantona.

bandman

Lance Armstrong.....

Like me, he has had his share of health problems, but then he came back to prove he is the best in the world! So I've had teh health problems part of it -- time for my come back!

Only only one problem, he was the best, got sick, and then became the best again. I've only done the sick part!

bigaggietrumpet

Walter Johnson. The Big Train. Back in the early 1900's, this guy was an amazing pitcher. But he was also an unbelieveably good sport. If he should accidentally hit you, he'd jog off the mound and help you up. He also had an amazing fastball. One well known slugger (I can't remember his name at this hour in the morning) sat down after he had an 0-2 pitch count. The ump reminded him that he still had one strike left, and the batter replied that it really didn't matter, he'd never hit it anyway. Talent, great personality, yeah, I'd go with him.

MUSICandCHARACTER

Well, you can see why the first part of that word might be censored. It is always a debate on what should be censored and what shouldn't. I well-monitored board should have little problem without a lot of automatic censors.

With so many people from the UK on this board, I have left that word out of the censor program. But then again, we have great moderators

Jim

Anonymous

This is a bit off - topic but I saw a show here in the US last night about an American who was like 3rd string in goal on the US Soccer (football) team and now he is a star for Manchester United. He can't walk around England with out being noticed and he goes home and no one knows who he is. For you UK people do you know who I'm talking about?

eclipse trumpets

Yes i do!

You are talking about Tim Howard, the Manchester United goalkeeper.

I think you may find that come the next international games he may well be between the sticks as he has come a long way since the last big championships.
It would also be extremely difficult for the US coach to ignore the fact that he has a goalkeeper at his disposal that plays for one of the top 3 football clubs in the world.

However his career was in the balance when he first arrived in England as he insisted on wearing shoulder pads and a helmet!
It all came to a head when whilst playing he'd catch the ball and charge the full length of the pitch barging other players to the floor on his way.
(oh i'll be in trouble with US boy's now )

Best Wishes

Leigh

PS I do like American football, but would love to see a team from there play a top rugby team to see what would happen. No Helmets or pads of course!!!

trumpetmike

The US guys would sue the rugby team before the first try was scored.

It would be fun to watch though - imagine the shock - a team that could be both defensive and offensive, without swapping players, without a 3 minute break for the cheerleaders to come on, without discussing every aspect of the next 5 second piece of action before it restarts - you never know, it might catch on

MUSICandCHARACTER

To make it fair, take the Superbowl champs and have them play rugby. Then have the rugby players play American Football against the champs. My guess is the American football team would do better at Rugby than a Rugby team would at American football.

The could play the rubber match playing Australian Rules Football

Jim